The idea of working hard to obtain the American Dream is corrupted when the pursuit of wealth is driven by greed, causing the decay of society and moral judgment. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses physical objects to symbolize the moral and social decay caused by the corruption of the American Dream. The author demonstrates the Valley of Ashes as an image of the developing loss of profound qualities in America. The Characters’ excessive need for material objects is illustrated by the symbol of clothing. In addition, the green light is symbolic of Gatsby’s dream and his self-sacrifice to gain wealth and power.
The Valley of Ashes is a symbolic location that highlights the lack of morality and social corruptions resulting from the desire of wealth. …show more content…
It signifies Gatsby’s American Dream as a pursuit to repeat the past. He purposely buys a mansion as a necessity to be right across the bay from Daisy where the green light is located at the end of her dock. The green light is first introduced in chapter one when Nick sees Gatsby for the first time. Nick notices Gatsby as “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and distinguished nothing except a single green light” (Pg. 20-21). It appears that the green light is out of reach, proving Gatsby’s American Dream is impossible to grasp while he tries to worship it. Even at times when he was one step away from obtaining his dream such as getting Daisy to tell Tom she did not love him. His dream gets tarnished by the over possession of wealth, much like what the American Dream has become to cause his death and the decay of society. Besides Gatsby’s interpretation of the green light, it can also represent his ambition of wealth in society for his hopes of having the American Dream. Gatsby comes from a poor family with parents who were “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people” (Pg. 98). He dedicated himself to becoming a wealthy and successful man after meeting Dan Cody by doing illegal business with Wolfshiem in which Gatsby’s wealth is made off of bootlegging. In Chapter seven, on the hottest day of the summer, in the Buchanans household, Gatsby states: “Daisy’s voice is full of money” (Pg. 120). It illustrates how corrupt the society has become when all Gatsby thinks about is wealth in order to live up to Daisy’s expectations. Gatsby is later struck by a downfall when Tom reveals his secret involvement with Wolfsheim causing all hopes of his American Dream to vanish when Daisy is not able to live with someone who does illegal business for a living. In contrast to Gatsby’s green light in the beginning of the novel, it
The Valley of Ashes is a symbolic location that highlights the lack of morality and social corruptions resulting from the desire of wealth. …show more content…
It signifies Gatsby’s American Dream as a pursuit to repeat the past. He purposely buys a mansion as a necessity to be right across the bay from Daisy where the green light is located at the end of her dock. The green light is first introduced in chapter one when Nick sees Gatsby for the first time. Nick notices Gatsby as “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and distinguished nothing except a single green light” (Pg. 20-21). It appears that the green light is out of reach, proving Gatsby’s American Dream is impossible to grasp while he tries to worship it. Even at times when he was one step away from obtaining his dream such as getting Daisy to tell Tom she did not love him. His dream gets tarnished by the over possession of wealth, much like what the American Dream has become to cause his death and the decay of society. Besides Gatsby’s interpretation of the green light, it can also represent his ambition of wealth in society for his hopes of having the American Dream. Gatsby comes from a poor family with parents who were “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people” (Pg. 98). He dedicated himself to becoming a wealthy and successful man after meeting Dan Cody by doing illegal business with Wolfshiem in which Gatsby’s wealth is made off of bootlegging. In Chapter seven, on the hottest day of the summer, in the Buchanans household, Gatsby states: “Daisy’s voice is full of money” (Pg. 120). It illustrates how corrupt the society has become when all Gatsby thinks about is wealth in order to live up to Daisy’s expectations. Gatsby is later struck by a downfall when Tom reveals his secret involvement with Wolfsheim causing all hopes of his American Dream to vanish when Daisy is not able to live with someone who does illegal business for a living. In contrast to Gatsby’s green light in the beginning of the novel, it